Layton goes green with NDP platform (Canada) [View All]

Layton goes green with NDP platform
by Darren Yourk
Globe and Mail, March 31

New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton coloured his party's election platform green Wednesday, hailing his party as the choice for voters serious about fighting climate change and cleaning the air.

Mr. Layton said the NDP's environmental platform is a real plan to create jobs with renewable energy, while still meeting Canada's Kyoto commitments on climate change.

...

The party released a number of proposals on climate change, including using all funds from the government's sale of its Petro-Canada stake -- expected to be about $2.8-billion -- to create a new Crown corporation for renewable energy with innovation centres in solar, tidal, wind and geothermal energy across Canada.

The party is also proposing a Climate Change Exchange, which would auction off emission credits for corporations with a decreasing number of credits available, creating market incentives to pollute less.

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040331.wlayton0331/BNStory/National/

From the NDP media release:

The NDP also unveiled innovative ideas to achieve clean water, clean up toxics and respect Canadians’ right to know what they eat:

· Implementing a public infrastructure program with a focus on drinking water and waste water treatment.
· Creating a federal department of water stewardship to develop common standards, and to implement a ban on the bulk export of water.
· Applying the polluter-pay principle and creating jobs by cleaning up toxic sites.
· Overhauling the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to reverse its current focus on voluntary action, and replace it with mandatory pollution prevention.
· Supporting farmers trying to reduce dependence on pesticides, and supporting municipalities in legal battles with chemical corporations.
· Implementing a moratorium on new genetically engineered crops, and respecting Canadians’ right to know what they eat through mandatory labelling of GMOs.
· Passing a true endangered species law that protects species’ habitat and gives scientists, not politicians, the power to determine whether a species is at risk.

http://tinyurl.com/yrdxo